COVID-19: India Cases Spike To 1397; Death Toll Now At 35

T​​he Corona virus outbreak (officially known as Covid-19), which started in China, has so far killed 40,659 people across the globe and infected 824,255 (as on March 31, 2020). The novel corona virus, or COVID-19, pandemic has spread across 178 countries. Today is the seventh day of India’s 21-day lockdown. The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in India stands at 1,397. The Union Health Ministry has said that 35 people have died due to the virus. Out of the 1,397 cases, 1,348 are Indian nationals, while the remaining 49 are foreigners. The total number of people, who have been cured, discharged or migrated stands at 124.

Globally, there have been over 7.86 lakh confirmed cases of COVID-19. At least 37,800 people have died so far. The United States, Italy and Spain have registered more cases than China, where the outbreak started. The outbreak is having a major impact on global economy and the stock

The first case of the 2019–20 corona virus pandemic in India was reported on 30 January 2020, originating from China. Experts suggest the number of infections could be a substantial underestimate, as India’s testing rates are among the lowest in the world. The infection rate of COVID-19 in India is reported to be 1.7, significantly lower than in the worst affected countries.

The outbreak has been declared an epidemic in more than a dozen states and union territories, where provisions of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 have been invoked, and educational institutions and many commercial establishments have been shut down. India has suspended all tourist visas, as a majority of the confirmed cases were linked to other countries.

Corona virus shock at Nizamuddin

Tablighi Jamaat is an Islamic missionary movement, which was started in 1926. It has headquarters in Delhi’s Nizamuddin area, with followers from across the globe. From March 13 to 15, there was a religious congregation attended by nearly 2,000 people, including foreigners. This has now become the latest and the biggest hotspot for the virus in the country. People who attended the event have travelled to various states. The Delhi government has ordered the lodging of an FIR against the head of Markaz, Maulana Saad Kandalvi for endangering the lives of thousands of people.

It has thrown up several corona positive cases maybe a ticking time bomb as six of the persons who returned to Telangana after attending the congregation have died from the virus and positive cases are emerging from at least five other regions including J&K, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and the Andaman and Nicobar islands.

A day after the Telangana government announced the death of 6 coronavirus patients from the state – all linked to Nizamuddin visit in Delhi, 17 new positive cases were registered on Tuesday. Thirteen of the new cases have been traced back to the religious congregation at the Markaz Tablighi Jamaat.

• More than 1,500 people have been quarantined in the Markaz itself.
• Following this, the number of infected cases in Delhi shoots up to 97 by Monday evening from 72 on Sunday.
• There are 3 more persons who attended religious congregation in Nizamuddin, who have been quarantined in Odisha.
• A facility is coming up for these people in the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, according to several reports. Even on Tuesday morning, people continue to board buses in the Nizamuddin area in order to be taken to different hospitals for a checkup.

The government, however, maintained that it was not certain if all those who were identified and quarantined indeed participated in the religious congregation held between March 5 and March 20. “We have quarantined them because as a group they have met frequently and there is a chance of spread,” Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Jawaid Akhtar told reporters.

He said that even those who have participated in the congregation have claimed to have completed their isolation period of 14 days. “We are still keeping them under observation and doing medical check-up,” Akhtar said.

Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai appealed to people of the state who have links with Tablighi Jamaat and have participated in the congregation to voluntarily come forward and inform district authorities. “We have a huge challenge to identify those who have taken part in the congregation and all those people they have met after returning,” he said.

Health Minister Official on Nizamuddin congregation said that it’s not the time to find faults but to take action:

• The Delhi Police has cordoned off a major area in Nizamuddin West.
• Many people showed symptoms of coronavirus after taking part in the Tabligh-e-Jamaat held earlier this month that was attended by over 2,000 people.

• COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra jump to 302, biggest rise in single day

• As many as 72 new coronavirus cases were detected in Maharashtra on Tuesday.
• 59 of them in Mumbai alone, taking the total number of COVID-19 patients in the state to 302.
• This is the largest increase in the number of cases within a day probably in the country, the state official said.
• Besides Mumbai, Ahmednagar reported three cases, while two cases each came to light in Pune, Thane, Vasai, Virar and Kalyan-Dombivali cities.

Ceasefire Company -sealed after 16 people test positive

The Noida district administration has sealed Ceasefire Company, in Sector 135, after 16 people associated with it were found coronavirus positive. Its owner and some other people had come from foreign countries and hidden their travel history. They later tested positive and due to this many employees of the company were exposed to the infection. These officials hid their travel history from the authorities and did not stay in self-quarantine.

The Department of Health has registered an FIR against the administration of the company. An FIR has been registered against the firm for hiding information about foreign travel of some of its employees as well as the arrival of a UK-based auditor to its location earlier in March.

With six more people, including two children, testing positive for coronavirus, the number of COVID-19 cases in Uttar Pradesh’s Gautam Buddh Nagar rose to 38 on Monday, officials said.

The total number of cases includes six patients who were discharged from hospitals after they recovered, they said.

“A total of 531 samples have been sent for COVID-19 testing from Gautam Buddh Nagar so far, of which 38 have tested positive, 421 negative and results for 75 are awaited,” the Health Department said in its daily statement.

Currently, 1,865 people are under surveillance across Noida and Greater Noida, while another 268 are quarantined — 69 of them at a Gautam Buddh University hostel and the rest in special isolation facilities at hospitals in Noida and Greater Noida, it added.

Uttar Pradesh has recorded 96 coronavirus cases so far, state government officials said in Lucknow.

The all-India figure stood at 1,251, including 32 deaths, according to the Union Health Ministry.

The development comes a day after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited the Gautam Buddh Nagar district, the hotspot of coronavirus cases in the state, and reprimanded officers for not being able to check the spread of the disease.

Five Delhi hospitals dedicated for COVID-19 cases

•  Amid rising cases of coronavirus, the Delhi government on Tuesday said five of its hospitals have been dedicated for people affected by COVID-19.

• The total number of coronavirus cases in the national capital on Tuesday climbed to 120, with 23 fresh cases being reported in a day, according to the Delhi Health Department.
• The five hospitals are: LNJP Hospital & GB Pant Hospital collectively, Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital, GTB Hospital, DDU Hospital and BSA Hospital.
• The health department said the decision has been in view of the coronavirus outbreak.

The DM further urged people coming to India from foreign countries and their contacts to follow the guidelines issued by Centre and ICMR regarding self-quarantine.

“If they are feeling sick, they should reach out to the authorities, following which they will be tested for coronavirus and they will be asked to live in government quarantine facilities. We also urge other residents to point out to such people to stay inside their homes. Be inside your homes, be a responsible citizen,” he added.

Apart from this, the DM also said that taking note of the woes of many migrant labourers and daily wage workers he had taken action to ensure that no tenant can be thrown out by their landlords due to the inability to pay rent during the lockdown period.

The DM also urged landlords to take note of the gravity of the situation and help the tenants in these testing times.